


Beauty through the pain

by Clozzersaurusrex



Category: Riverdale - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, SlightAU, Smut, relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-16 17:20:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11257401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clozzersaurusrex/pseuds/Clozzersaurusrex
Summary: When Betty saw Jughead in that jacket she couldn't stop herself from liking it. She knew it meant that things were about to change, hopefully not for the worse. Then all at once Polly goes into labour, Fred Andrews is shot, Thornhill burns down and Jughead moves to the Southside. This fic follows Jughead and Betty through the ups and downs of their relationship in the aftermath of the Season One finale.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first go at fanfiction, so I hope it isn't too bad :-) I love writing, and reading fanfiction so I decided to give it a go myself!

'Juggie...'  
His head snapped to face her as she stood hidden behind the door. She was nervous. The words hadn't meant to slip out, she hadn't meant for him to know she was watching but she just couldn't stop herself. When they heard the knock on the door it had taken her a few moments to regain her composure and tear herself from thoughts of his hands on her skin and his tongue on her neck before she was able to pull her jumper back over her head. Her fingers lingered on her jaw, tracing the line he had made only a few seconds earlier. Betty closed her eyes and let out a sigh. If only her mother hadn't knocked on the damn door who knows where they'd have been by now. She cursed under her breath, thinking about how typical this was of Alice Cooper. Forever the controlling parent, it was only logical that she'd ruin this for Betty as well as everything else. Why should she be allowed to do normal teenage things? She would have to ask her sister, Polly, how on earth she and Jason managed to avoid their overbearing mother ruining wonderful and intimate moments like this. Of course, she already knew Polly would find it hilarious that their mother had unknowingly managed to preserve sweet little Betty Cooper's innocence for one more day. She had to laugh at it herself. If she didn't relish in the humour of the situation she'd probably be driven crazy by the thoughts running through her mind. Betty suddenly felt a pang of guilt that she'd left Jughead to deal with the awkward and unexpected encounter alone for so long and, bunching her hands into tight fists, she began to make her way through the trailer to the door, bracing herself to face her mother. It was at that moment she realised that the voice coming from outside was male. Someone had interrupted their moment, but it certainly wasn't Alice Cooper.  
That was when she saw him. He stood on the porch, the glow of the moon on his cheeks and a smile beginning to spread across his lips. The winter air made her shiver as she stared at what was happening in front of her. Jughead Jones III, her Jughead, was placing his arms into a black jacket, shrugging it over his shoulders. It suited him and something about wearing it seemed to make his shoulders relax slightly. He was comfortable in it, she could see from the look in his eyes. It fit him perfectly and she bit her lip longingly. She knew exactly what the glint of green embroidery that now guarded his back was, and it unnerved her, but she couldn't help herself from admiring him. God he was hot. And he was hers. At least he had been less than five minutes ago but who knew what this meant now. A wave of anxiety hit her as realisation of what just happened sunk in and instinctively she dug her nails into her palms. What if this changed him? What if between moving the Southside, starting at Southside High and this new addition to his wardrobe he decided he didn't want Betty anymore?  
She hadn't meant to say his name but in the rush of what happened she did and now not only was Jughead looking at her but so were half-a-dozen Southside Serpents.  
'These are the people you defended, the people you're defending.'  
She reminded herself, swallowing hard. Her nails pressed further into skin as she tried to block out her nerves.  
'He loves you.'  
she repeated over and over in her head,  
'A new school and a piece of clothing won't change that.'  
Jughead glanced sideways at the Serpents for a moment, before locking eyes with Betty, finally understanding what had just happened. Her lips were still slightly swollen from their passionate kisses and her hair ever so slightly out of place. God she was so beautiful. Everything about her was wonderful and he couldn't help but think about the pleasure on her face, the pleasure he had induced, not long ago. But now there was another expression on her face, something he couldn't quite read. She seemed confused, her eyes betraying the fact that she was worried and a little hurt. He looked at her silently, hoping she could see that he wasn't going to abandon her, that he loved her, that this wasn't going to change what they had and that he had no idea what just happened either. He wished he could rewind to the moment he was kissing her against the kitchen counter and relive it over and over until there was no interruption and they could continue what they had started without this complication.  
'Bets', he managed shakily, his heart pounding. Fuck he hoped he hadn't screwed this up, he begged that he hadn't and stepped forward, grabbing her hand and holding it tightly with his. One of the Serpents coughed and made their excuses to leave.  
'You know where we are son.' He had said as they began to turn away. Jughead knew he had to make this right, whatever Betty was feeling he needed to know. He couldn't lose her. He loved her and she was everything to him.  
His right hand reached forward to unravel her other fist, his left still clutching to her fingers, bringing them to his mouth and placing a gentle kiss on them. She moved closer to him, wanting to be near him, and he began to talk, leading her inside and comforting her with his touch. He wasn't sure of anything other than that he loved her, and she had just told him she felt the same. Something about the Serpents, and the jacket made his broken mismatched family that consisted of absent parents, friends with good intentions and, of course, his girlfriend feel complete. Betty turned to look over her shoulder and he heard the sound of crunching gravel. It got louder and a pair of headlights began to move towards them, blinding them in the darkness. The car came to a stop a few feet away from the trailer. The engine was still running when a slim figure got out of the car and called across to the two teenagers.  
'Betty you have to come now. It's Polly, she's gone into labour. I just had a call from the hospital and we need to go.'  
The colour fell from the girls cheeks as the woman got back in the car.  
'What... no it's too early... she isn't due yet.' She replied, too quiet for the woman to hear even if she hadn't got back into the car. Betty unlaced her finger from his and pulled him into her, kissing him lightly on the cheek.  
'I'm sorry.' she whispered into his ear as she walked away, breaking into a slight run as the woman began to turn the car around. He swallowed deeply as he tried to figure out what she was sorry for but he was too scared to consider some of the possibilities. She looked at him one last time as she opened the car door and jumped in. The vehicle was gone within seconds but Jughead lingered on the doorstep for a few moments longer. They had been interrupted again, and as annoying as the first interruption had been, this one got to him more. To be intimate with Betty would have been wonderful, but in that moment, all he wished he could do was simply talk to her, discuss what had happened and make things ok between them. Although, much to her credit, Alice Cooper had not been the first interruption, she had been the second and that had arguably been worse.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if there's any mistakes, I've been writing this on my phone after my laptop broke but I just really wanted to publish... I hope it's ok!

Betty stared out of the window, watching houses and streetlights fly by them as they drove to the hospital. Alice had been silent the whole time. Betty glanced at her mother and considered talking to her but she quickly decided against it. Alice Copper looked tired, something which, despite all her late nights and early mornings working on the Register, Betty had never seen. For the first time, Betty noticed lines around her Mother's red-rimmed eyes. Even in the darkness, she could see the purple tinted bags under them. Alice didn't take her eyes off the road even for a second, not even as Betty's stare burned into her. Her hands were wrapped tightly in fists around the steering wheel, so tight her knuckles began to turn white. It was strikingly similar to how Betty curled her hands together in times of anxiety and she wondered if her mother's palms had ever been marked with imprints like hers. It was unlikely she would ever find out the answer. Something about it made Betty feel uneasy, after all, everyone already thought crazy ran in the Cooper family. She let the thought pass. She couldn't think about this now. Not when Polly was in labour ten weeks early. She closed her eyes and curled her fingers into tight fists. She couldn't hear for the sound of her own heartbeats, and her breath was hitched so she couldn't breathe. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. It wasn't time yet, Polly wasn't ready yet, the babies weren't ready yet. Betty wasn't ready yet. Her thoughts drifted to her raven-haired boy and she closed her eyes. Her mind was filled with images of him: smiling at her, telling her he loved her, kissing her neck and undressing her against the kitchen counter. She wasn't ready for things to be over between her and Juggie. She would never be ready for that.

Betty had always known that things were never going to be easy between the two of them, but now he had the jacket and she really knew things would change. It was freezing outside and snow dusted the ground but she couldn't help herself from rolling the window down. She needed the air and she needed to breathe. She had no idea what Jughead was thinking but she had a feeling he would be playing on the situation just as much as her and probably trying to guess what was on her mind. She would never break up with him because of the jacket. The Serpents had been there for him, they promised him protection. She wanted him to be safe, especially now he was moving to the Southside. The Serpents were, other than her and Archie, the closest thing that Jughead had to family. Betty had defended them but she was still nervous. The Serpents were innocent of a lot of things they were accused of, but they were still a gang and they were certainly not angels. She smirked slightly. They were Hell's Angels. The thing that unnerved Betty the most was that Jughead now not only lived on the Southside, he went to school there and he was now possibly part of the Serpents. What if things fell apart on their own? What if Jughead decided that Betty didn't fit into his life anymore, that he didn't want her in his life anymore. She knew he loved her, but what if because of that he tried to distance her from his life. Of course being in a gang came with risks, and if Jughead was part of that, it meant that Betty could be dragged into it too. She could be used against him. What if by trying to keep her safe it meant he felt like he had to leave her. That was the last thing she wanted. Betty sighed. It felt wrong and selfish of her to be worrying about this when Polly was in the hospital. She was filled with guilt and wished it wasn't like this. She wished they hadn't been interrupted so they could have talked. It was moments like these that madeher realise she was in deep with Jughead. He never wanted her to be perfect, never expected to be anyone but herself. He knew she had darkness in her and he hadn't run from it because he had darkness in him too. With him, she felt safe and happy. He cared for her more than anyone had ever done before and although it made her feel stupid at night she had dreams of them together, raven haired children by their side.

'It was your father.'

Betty turned to look at her mother. Her eyes were still centred on the road, and her mouth looked as though it hadn't moved. It took Betty a moment to realise that her mother had actually said anything at all, and that she hadn't imagined it. A tear ran down Alice Cooper's cheek.

'Dad? What did he do mom?'

' He went to see Polly. After the Jubilee I took her home, and drove to the Register office to try and reason with him. That paper is mine too Betty and one day it could be yours. Anyway, your father wasn't there, so I called him and there was no answer. After waiting around for twenty minutes I gave up and decided to go home but when I got there his car was outside. I'd had three missed calls from Polly and a message from her asking me to come home because your father had come to talk to her and he was making her uncomfortable. He was trying to take her back to the The Sister's of Quiet Mercy.'

Tears filled Betty's eyes. How could her father do this? She closed her fists tighter as her state of panic got worse.

' I went inside the house but Polly was gone. He was sat at the table with a bag of frozen peas on his eye. She'd managed to hit him and run away.

Alice closed her eyes for a second before wiping a tear from her cheek.

'I can't believe he'd do this mom. Why is he doing this to us? To Polly?'

'I was screaming at him, telling him I would ring the police if he didn't leave. I told him never to come back to the house again and to leave town. I won't have him treating Polly how he treat me and I won't have him poison this family with his hate. He just sat there staring at me. He laughed at me Betty. Told me I'd have nothing to do with the paper again and he'd make sure that Polly didn't get to keep her babies. He said she would be a bad mother like me and everyone would know it.'  
Betty winced and her mother began to sob, louder than she had ever seen before. Alice Cooper had always been collected and calm. She had scolded Betty so many times for being upset. It wasn't something the Cooper's did. Her father had well and truly ruined Alice's allegiance to the Cooper name and what it meant to be one. It was unlikely they could go back from this.  
' I finally got him to leave but he'd clearly been drinking so he stayed outside for a while shouting insults at me. I was just about to ring the police when I got a phonecall from the hospital. Polly had managed to get a few blocks away when her waters had broken. Luckily, someone saw her and called an ambulance but what if they hadn't? It was him, Betty. Your father caused this to happen to her. The stress of it all... he put her in danger. It could have been worse, so much worse, but I will never forgive him for this.'

Betty reached over and placed her hand over her mothers, shaking. She had always relied on her father to rescue her whenever her mother got too overbearing. He was the one who'd picked her up when she'd fallen down, cleaned her cuts and wiped her tears away. He'd taught her to swim and to ride a bike and they'd spent summer evenings fixing cars together. How could he do this to Polly? She knew her father could be cruel and outspoken, he had always said it was just part of his job. She never thought he could be so toxic to his own family. It made her feel sick. He wasn't the man she thought he was and she knew that this meant change for the Cooper family. As if enough wasn't changing in her life to begin with.

Alice swiftly turned the car into the Emergency Room parking bay. She had barely stopped before she pulled the handbrake on, cut the engine and flung the door open leaving Betty slightly shocked. Tightening her coat around her, Betty followed struggling to keep up with her mother as she entered the hospital lobby. As they were about to reach the front desk, a tall man stepped in front of them, stopping them in their tracks. An angry look was painted on his face as he looked down on the two women.  
'Excuse me Madam, the emergency bay is for emergencies only. We have a strict no parking policy and there's an ambulance due to arrive any minute. You're going to have to move or you will be asked to leave-'  
When it finally registered that the man was talking to her, Alice interrupted him mid-sentence by holding her palm in front of his face motioning that he needed to stop. Her mother had always left Betty in awe. As scary and controlling as she could be, there was something impressive about the way she was able to control a room or situation. She could intimidate even the strongest, most powerful  men and take the room from them, and this man was certainly no match for the wrath of Alice Cooper.  
'Excuse me, Sir,' she spat at him, ' I have just had a phone call to say that my teenage daughter's waters have broken ten weeks early and she is all alone, completely shaken and in early labour. My daughter and her babies could be in danger and I refuse to spend time I could be spending with them looking for a damn car parking space so I think that counts as an emergency, don't you?'  
The attendant's mouth fell open, and everyone in the waiting room seemed to go silent as Alice Cooper pushed him to one side and went to speak to the receptionist at the main desk. Betty blushed. Everyone was staring at them.  
'I'm looking for Polly Cooper.'  
Alice looked over her shoulder, nodding slightly and summoning Betty over to her. She hadn't realised she was still frozen in the same awkward position as before. A siren grew louder as it got closer to the emergency bay, and the buzz of chatter in the waiting room started again. One look from Alice had been enough to stop the whispers and stares.  
'Mrs. Cooper, your daughter is in the Daffodil Wing, on the second floor. The nurses their will be able to tell you what room she's in'  
Betty's phone buzzed and as she began to follow her mother out of the waiting room she reached inside her pocket to read it. It was from Jughead.  
'Betty...' it read, but nothing else. As if he couldn't decide what to say but needed to say something.  
'Shit.' Betty thought, knowing she had to reply to him to stop the situation spiralling further. Before she could reply, and just as they were about to step into the lift to the second floor, the doors of the main entrance were forced open and five medical staff came running in, pushing a bed. Betty recognised the woman on the bed. She was old and frail, an oxygen mask over her mouth. Snippets of hurried conversation told her something about a fire, Thornhill and smoke inhalation. It was Nana Blossom.  
'Cheryl!'  
Betty couldn't stop herself when she saw the red headed girl appear. She was wrapped in a blanket, eyes to the floor. Her skin was pale and makeup ran down her face. Their eyes met briefly, each questioning the other before Alice grabbed hold of Betty's hand and pulled her into the open elevator, jamming the button until the doors closed. What on earth had happened to Cheryl Blossom?


End file.
